The present invention relates generally to limb off-weighting and splints utilized for the treatment of injuries to the lower extremities.
Soldiers who suffer trauma to a foot or lower leg on the battlefield must often walk at least a short distance to safety and/or medical treatment. Walking on an injured foot or lower leg may often further compound the injury. Although traditional splint devices provide limited stability, they provide little or no off-weighting capability or portability.
Medical patients who have recently had surgery on a foot or lower leg, as well as medical patients at risk for developing diabetic ulcers or other contact lesions, also benefit from an off-weighting capability that may be administered relatively rapidly. However, current off-weighting devices often require extensive amounts of time to apply, often fail to substantially redirect most or all of the weight placed on a particular foot, often off-weight only a wound area and not the entire foot, and may cause discomfort even when weight is not placed on the devices.
Athletes and outdoor enthusiasts, in both emergency and non-emergency situations, and with both acute and chronic injuries, may benefit by redistributing weight and relieving pressure on injured areas of the leg, foot, and/or ankle. Therefore, there is a need for improved systems and methods for limb off-weighting.